These include underground links, covered and open walkways at street level and higher- level, second storey links between buildings.

These take into consideration the context of the surrounding areas and pedestrian routes and volumes.

Within the Orchard Road, City Hall, CBD and Marina Bay, URA has planned for extensive underground connections to link the MRT Stations to the adjacent developments.

These are planned as underground links to provide a more direct, seamless and convenient connection, given that all the MRT stations within the city are located underground.

Overhead bridge connections are only considered where they are appropriate for the context, for example, the bridge link across Raffles Avenue at Marina Centre, where the surrounding developments have an extended network of pedestrian decks at the second storey, or where there are constraints to building underground links, such as at Eu Tong Sen Street, where the link would have to be very deep to undercross the existing canal.

The construction of elevated bridges also needs to be carefully considered in relation to the character of the area, as they could, for example, mar the experience and appeal of the tree-lined boulevard and pedestrian mall along Orchard Road. However, where appropriate, URA will continue to study and plan for elevated bridge connections.

Regarding the provision of carpark facilities, URA works closely with the Land Transport Authority to ensure there is sufficient parking space for motorists.

In conservation and shophouse areas, carpark needs are addressed by providing public carparks along streets, within surface carparks on available State land as well as within surrounding developments.

Where there are suitable new developments in areas with high carpark demand, URA also works with developers to provide additional carparks within these developments to cater to public parking needs.

Some examples include The Verge, formerly known as Tekka Mall, at Serangoon Road and the upcoming hotel development at the junction of Balestier Road and Jalan Rajah.

We will continue to monitor the carpark demand in these areas and to provide additional carparks where possible.

Although Singapore is a land-scarce country, we can overcome this constraint through the creative use of land.

For instance, vacant land is used for carparks or as public spaces for community events and activities in the interim where there are no development plans in the mid-term.

Various facilities like polyclinics, libraries and community centres are co-located where possible to save land.

We will continue to explore innovative ways to maximise the use of our land.

Mr Richard Hoo
Acting Group Director
(Strategic Planning)
Urban Redevelopment
Authority

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